Window-blind.



-N0. 847,143. PATENTBD MAR. 12, 1907. V. WYSS.

WINDOW BLIND;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1905.

3 SHEETBBHEET 1.

- 17 F'|G L '36 No. 347,143. 4 PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. v. WYSS.

WINDOW BLIND.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1905.

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v Qttouwq PATENTBD MAR. 12, 1907.

V. WYSS.

WINDOW BLIND.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1905.

FIG. XII.

l Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of To all whom it may concern.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINDOW-BLIND.

Be it known that I; VINCENT WYss, of

Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Blinds,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a window-blind b use whereof it is practicable to dispense wit outside shutters, awnings, insiliie blinds, and, if desired, with windowsas My blinds can be made of any kind of wood, metal, or other suitable material. They may beso constructed as to afford to a window secure protection against intrusion from without, or they ma be adapted solely for use as a means of regufhting the light and air admitted through a window or other similar opening. The may be permanently fixed in a windowrame, but are preferabl made readily removable therefrom at wil. They arexin construction for ordinary purposes light, durable, simple, and ornamental, easy of operation, and can be used on any kind of buildings, such as hos itals, officebuildings, club-houses, and resi e'nces.

What constitutes m invention will be hereinafter specified in etail and succinctly set forthin the appended'claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which con- -stitute a art of this specification, Figwqa I is a front view of a preferred form of embodiment of my invention with its frame in sec- .tion, showing the raising and lowering mechanism thereof, the same being broken vertically and longitudinally in order to present the same upon a liberal scalewithin the limits of space available, and the link-braces being omitted for the sake of clearness in illustration. Fig. II is a view of one side of the subject-matter of Fig. I upon an enlarged scale.' Fig. III is a cross-section of the subject-matter of Fig. I looking toward the edge of the slats. Fig. IV is a similar partial view, upon an enlarged scale, but with the slatsupports removed. Fig. V is a section of the frame, illustrative of a pair of the corner-pulleys upon which the endless chain for raising and lowering the slats works. Fig. VI is an elevation of three slats assembled together, showing their runners and connecting mechanism. Fig. VII illustrates a number of slats folded. Fig. VIII illustrates that portion of the endless chain which carries the slat-actuating link. Fig. IX is a view at Specification ofLetters m Application filed July 24, 1905 Serial No. 271,037.

Patented March 12, 1907.

right angles to Fig. VIII, showing in section the slat-actuating link and a portion'of a slat with its stud mounted therein. Fig. X is a perspective view of a portion of one of the slats with. its runner in place and showing cut-away portions in opposite corners of the slat for the accommodation of the braces which connect it with its neighbors. Fig. XI is a section of main sprocket and frame with chain-pulley detached. Fig. XII is a view at right angles of the subf'ect-matter of Fig. VI, but showing each s at as broken away at one end.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a frame, which may be made of any suitable material, such as metal or wood, and which,if of wood, as preferred, consists of a suitable piece of joinery. It is provided in its opposite sides 2 and 3 and in its bottom rail 4 with a continuous groove 5.

The groove 5 is of a sufiicient depth ,to ac commodate an endless flexible member, preferably a sprocket-chain 6, and also to leave an inwardly-opening space in the sides 2 and 3, respectively, for the accommodation of the slat-runners hereinafter referred to. The groove is preferably enlarged at its opposite ends in the sides 2 and 3, respectively, to accommodate in each a pulley-box, (indicated by the numerals 7 and 3, respectively,) which may be secured in place, as by screws 10.

Each of the boxes 7 and 8 is designed and adapted to carry, as upon a shaft 11 and 12, respectively, a sprocket-gear pulley 13 and '14, respectively, adapted to operatively intermesh with the links of the chain 6.

In the opposite lower corners of the frame, respectively, provision is made for pulleyboxes 17 and 18', adapted to be secured in place, as by screws 19, and each provided with a pair of sprocket-gear pulleys 20 and 21 revolubly mounted in the box, as upon a shaft 23.

The bottom rail 4 is provided with a recess to accommodate an actuating-gear box 25, secured in place, as by screws 26, and carry ing, as upon a shaft 27, an actuating sprocketgear 28. The chain 6 meshes with the teeth of the gear 28 upon opposite sides thereof. It is led to engagement-therewith below directly with the gears 21 and bends about the upper part under the direction of pulleys 30, revolubly mounted in the box 25, as upon shafts or axles 31 upon opposite sides of the gear 28. The shaft 27, to which guide- IIO the gear 28 is fixed, projects inwardly a suflicient distance to accommodate a crank 32,

which is rovided with a collar 33 to receive it, the co lar and the end of the shaft bein r preferably squared and the collar provide with a set screw 34, by which the crank may be detachably secured to the shaft.

* The chain 6 is provided upon its op positelymoving )OItlOIlS 61 and 62, respectively, with. a li t-link 35, having coaxially-dis osed round sockets 36, respectively, whic accommodate the studs 37 upon the opposite ends of a lowermost slat 38. The studs 37 are preferably carried upon plates 39, (see Fig. IX,) which may be secured, as by screws 40, to the ends of the slat. The slat may be made of wood or of lightmetal, such as aluminium or any other material suitable and preferred for the purpose. Above the slat 38 in regular succession are a series of slats 41, the number thereof being such as is adapted to fill the space in the frame 1. Each slat 'is provided at its opposite ends with a runner 42, which works snugly but freely in the groove 5,'whercin space between the outer edge of the groove and the chain within the groove is provided for respective accommodation of the several runners. The sockets 36 on the lift-link 35 also work. in the said groove. The 0 )positely-moving portions 61 and 62 preferably are closely adjacent to each other along sides 2 and This construction obviates the necessity of providing a deep groove in sides 2 and 3 for the accommodation ()f 0h2bl1l 6, and in consequence the cost of manufacture of the device is lessened, while a compact dis osition of its operating partsis made possib e.

The slats 41 are connected one with another and with the slat 38 in such manner that they may be suspended from the upper part of the frame 1 and may be lifted in successive order by the uplifting of the lowermost slat 38. Any suitable means may be employed to support the slats in any position they may occupy when relieved of matween the shaft 27 and its bearings, (not shown in the drawings,) together with that between the chain and its pulleys, should be su'llicient to attain this result. Provision is also made for adjusting the angle of inclination of all of the slats in the frame 1 by manipulation of any one of the slats, and more particularly of the lowermost slat '38. The means which I prefer to employ for the purpose last specified is a plurality of pairs of braces, each brace comprising links 45 and 46, (see Fig. V1,) pivoted to each other, as indicated at 47, the free end of link 45 being pivoted, as at 48, to the end of one slat, and the free end of link'46 being pi voted, as at 49, to a corresponding end of the next adjacent slat. Two pairs of braces for each end of 1 the chain 6.

each slat is provided, with the exception that eachend oi the lowermost slat is provided with one pair of' braces only. The pivotal connections upon the lowermost slat are indicated by the numeral 49. Those upon the remaining slats are indicated by either the numeral 48 or the numeral 49. I prefer to secure the ends of the braces to the slat in reces'ses 51 provided for them, as clearly shown in Figs. VI and X. These recesses being defined by inclined shoulders 52 are adapted to impart to each pair of braces a slight outward bend, as shown in Fig. .VI. Hence when the lowermost slat 38 is lifted by raising of the lift-link 35 this causes the several pairs of braces which unite it to the next slat 41 above it to close until the slat 38 lies fiat against the bottom of the said slat 41. Thereupon continued "upward movement of the lift-link 35 lifts the first slat 41 against the second, and so on throughout the entireseries until they are all closed, as shown in Fig. v11.

A cross-piece 59 is preferably pivoted to the frame as upon a pin 60. To this crosspiece the topmost braces are preferably pivoted, as at points 53 and 54, respectively.

A box 5 5fmay be provided, as-indicated in Fig. I, in the upper part of the frame 1 for the reception and concealment of the slats when drawn together, as shown. in Fig. VII. A.

movement of the lift-links'35 in a direction opposite to that previously described serves after the slats are lifted into the box 55 to draw them out therefrom and to assemble them across the openin in the frame 1. At any position below the box 55 all of the slats may be tilted to any desired angle by manipulation of any one of the'slats, more particularly the slat 38, which is at all times readily accessible to manipulation. In the turning of the slats by the manipulation just referred to the slat 38 turns upon its studs 37 in the sockets 36, thereby communicating motion similar to that of the parallel-ruler to the several slats 41, with which it is successively t d b 4 d 4 t nipulatioii; but I prefer that the friction beconnec e by the races 5 an WO pairs of which are provided between each pair of adjacent slats at their opposite ends, respectively.

I prefer to construct the chain 6 of a series of long links 56 and short links 57, making the short links of cylindrical contour in crossseetion to correspond with the recesses provided for their'accomm'odation in the several sprocket-gear pulleys 13, 14, and 28 and the I guide-pulleys 20 and 21.

Between the ascending and descending portions of the chain 6, Within the groove 5.

provided for them in the side pieces 2 and 3,

respectively, of the frame 1, 1 pil'efer to provide a separating-strip 58, w 'ch ,may be freedom and oiseless'ness of movement to be particularly Fig. II.)

.made of brass nd which is designed to lend A movement of the crank in the opposite direction will serve to lower them; It may be observed in this connection that the desired motion of the lift-links 35 is imparted to them by the disposition of the bends of the .chain about the respectivepulleys 13 and 14,

and 21, and that the chain serves to support any of the slats or all of them in any position to which they may be adjusted by manipulation of the crank 32. The diameter of the s rocketear 28 determines the driving 1 spee of the c ain 6, and it may be conven- -iently constructed of a size to enable five or six turns of the crank in either direction to entirely raise or entirely lower all of the slats.

The manner of adjusting the angle of inclination of the several slats transversely in around said pulleys and said gear substanthe frame has alread been described.

The frame 1 may e mounted in any suitable manner, as upon hinges or hangers in a window-frame, after the manner of an inside blind, and maybe opened or closed, and is securable in the opened and closed positions by any suitable or ordinary means provided for a like purpose in respect to inside blinds.

If it be desired in the use of my blinds to dispense with the sash, as in summer-time, that is entirely feasible by provision of the ordinary'fly-screens in the window.

What I claim is 1 The combination with a frame andslats, of a series of braces comprising links pivoted in pairs to the ends of the adjacent slats and to each other, the uppermost pairs of braces being suspended from the frame, means upon the slats for causing the braces to close outwardly, and means upon the frame for raising and lowering the slats.

2. The combination with a frame and a series of slats, said slats being capable of angular adjustment about their longitudinal axes, of an endless flexible member carried in the frame and directly connected with one of said slats at its opposite ends for raising and pulleys, and a series of slats in the frame,

said slats beingcapable of angular adjustment' about theirvlongitudinal axes, and-one of said slats being connected at its opposite ends with the chain.

5. The combinationwith a frame having corners and provided with a groove extending around two corners of the frame and having pulley-boxes and pulleys therein at its opposite ends, of pulley-boxes in the corners of the frame provided each with a'pair of pul leys, an actuating-gear and guide-pulleys upon opposite sides thereof, an endless chain bent'around said pulleys and said gear, substantially in the manner specified, and a series of slats operatively connected with said chain. 1

6. The combinationwith a frame having corners and provided with a groove extending around two corners of the frame and having pulley-boxes" and pulleys therein at its opposite ends, of pulley-boxes in the corners of the frame provided each'with a pair of pulleys, an actuating-gear and pulleys upon opposite sides thereof, an endless chain bent tially in the manner/specified, and an independently-adjustable series of slats having its lowermost slat operativelyconnecte with said chain.

7. The combination with a frame, of an and means located at the crossing of said por-' {)ions for actuating said endless flexible mem- 8. The combination with a frame, of a sprocket-chain provided with portions crossing each other and adaptedto move in relatively o posite directions, slats directly connecte at opposite ends to said op 0- sitely-moving portions, respectively, an a sprocket-gear located at the crossing of said portions for actuating said sprocket-chain.

9. The combination with a frame provided upon its sideswith a shallow groove, of an endless flexible member therein provided with portions closely adjacent to each other and adapted to move in relatively opposite directions, a separating-strip between said 0 positely-movim portions, and a series of s ats, one of sai slats being directly connected at its opposite ends with said oppositely-moving portions, respectively.

10. The combination with a frame provided upon its sides with a shallow groove, of an endless flexible member therein provided with portions closely adjacent to each other and adapted to move in relatively memb positely mov-ing portions, respectively, and

means for actuating said endless flex ble 11. The combination with a frame .pro-

vided with a groove having pulley-boxes and pulleys being mounted to rotate in a plane arallel to the planeof the frame, of an endless flexible member bent around said pulleys, the portions of said member leading to each pulley being closely adjacent, coaxial guide-pulleysin .the corners of the frame and parallel to the aforesaid pulleys, and a series of slats, one of said slats being directly connected at its ends with the inner portions of said endless flexible" member.

13. The combination with a frame provided upon its sides With a shallow groove, of pulleys in said groove, an endless flexible member in said groove and bent around said pulleys, the portions of said member leading to each pulley being closely adjacent, a separating-strip between said oppositelyemoving portions, means for guiding said flexible member, and series of slats, one of said slats being directly connected With said endless flexible member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sube scribing Witnesses.

VINCENT WYSS.

Witnesses:

GorHARb WYss, CHARLES MEYER 

